Happy March Madness: Are your brackets looking good or are they already busted? We’ll get to the NCAA tournament shortly, but let’s start with a competition of different kind. Portfolio.com/bizjournals released its survey of the cities that appeal (or don’t) to workers in their 20s and 30s; St. Louis came in at No. 37 out of 67. The rankings of the largest metropolitan areas took into account population growth rates, cost of living and percentage of young people with college degrees. 

And now, as promised, here’s your look at some off-the-court news involving the Big Dance. Education Secretary Arne Duncan made news this week by advocating a proposal to ban men’s college basketball teams from the postseason if they fail to graduate 40 percent of their players. This year, a dozen teams taking part in the NCAA tournament would be ineligible based on that criterion.

It’s also worth noting a report from the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida that illustrates the growing disparity between graduation rates for white and black players on teams playing in this year's NCAA tournament. The annual study shows that 45 teams graduated 70 percent or more of their white players, while only 20 teams graduated at least 70 percent of their black players.

Keeping with the college theme, the New York Times reported a story about for-profit colleges and trade schools that have seen booming enrollments during the recession. The piece asks whether these institutions are exaggerating the value of their degree programs and overcharging, thus setting up students for years of unmanageable debt.

On the lighter side of higher ed news, the Los Angeles Times writes that mixed gender dorms are becoming more widely accepted. Co-ed living arrangements are common on spring break trips where students are looking to save money. And it’s not only thrifty students who are taking advantage of cheap spring break deals these days.

Switching gears, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports on a study showing that people in Generations X and Y now make up more than half of the pool of potential donors. Young people tend to be less loyal to an organization but are willing to raise funds for their favorite causes, the report shows.

And finally, with wedding season not far away, you’re more than likely going to be directed to one of those ubiquitous wedding websites. At their best, the sites are informative and cute. But this Slate piece argues that many happy couples have gone overboard with designs and detailed descriptions of how they met.